Nelson peter nelson



No. 609,624. Patented Aug. 23, I898. N. P. NELSON.

AMALGAMATOB.

(Application filed Mar. 20, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(N 0 M odel.)

Wiigcsses No. 609,624. Patented Aug. 23, I898. N. P. NELSON.

AMALGAMATUR.

(Application filed Mar. 20, 1897.) (No Model.) tsSheet 2.

MQS H.

m: cams vncns co. Pmw'uwu WASHINGTON. n. c.

NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- NELSON PETER NEL ON, OF HELENA, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS T BENJAMIN R. YOUNG AND FRANK D. SPRATT', OF SAME PLAOE.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,624, dated August 23, 1898.

Application filed March 20, 1897.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it kno wn that I, NELSON PETER NELSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Helena, in the county of Lewis and Clarke and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Amalgamator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in amalgamators for separating precious metals from sand, slimes, pulp, Orother substance with which such metals are mixed and the object of the invention is to provide an amalgamator of a simple and inexpensive construction which shall be especially adapted for separating and collecting the finer and flaky particles of metal.

The invention consists in an amalgamator comprising a body having a main sluiceway to which the ore and water are supplied, said main sluiceway having openings formed transversely across its bottom and arranged at suitable intervals, screens extending over the said openings, two chutes arranged beneath each transverse opening in the main sluiceway and separated by a partition at the center of said opening, sluice-boxes to receive the material discharged through said chutes, and valves to control the said openings.

The invention also contemplates certain novel features of the construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts of the improved amalgamator, whereby. certain important advantages are attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient in use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In order that my improvements may be better understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings an amalgamator constructed according to my invention, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved amalgamator with one sluice-box in position for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the main sluiceway of the amalgamator. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section takenin the plane indicated by the line a a in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is Serial No. 628,508. (No model.)

1 way, which may be of any length, being set in an inclined position and provided at its upper end with a shelf 2, extending across it and inclined so that the material discharged upon it willflow in a direction reverse to that in which it fiows in the sluiceway 1. A

screen 3 is arranged above the shelf 2 at a suitable elevation, and the sides of said screen 3 are inclined down from the center toward each side of the apparatus, the screen 3 being soset that when the sluiceway is in its inclined position the apex of the screen-will stand substantially horizontal. By this arrangement the material supplied to the head end of the amalgamator will be screened, so that only the finer particles will pass into the sluiceway. The water will also be supplied through the screen 3 upon the inclined shelf 2, down which it will flow to the lower edge thereof. At the head end of the sluiceway l and opposite to the lower edge of the shelf 2 are arranged a series of glass plates 4, against which the water and ore flowing down the shelf 2 strike. The opposite inclination of the shelf 2 and sluiceway 1, together with the arrangement of the glass plates 4, causes the material to flow through the sluiceway 1 in a much more tranquil mannerthan it would otherwise do, the momentum of the falling material being much reduced,so that the fine and heavier particles of precious metal will be permitted to settle an'd'pass the-sluice-boxes. 10o

Beneath each aperture 5 are arranged two oppositely-directed spouts or chutes 7, each of such spouts being inclined downward at its outer end, which extends somewhat beyond the edge of the sluiceway, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The two spouts or chutes 7 under each aperture 5 are separated from each other at their inner ends by means of a partition 8, extending to the wire-netting, as seen in said figure.

The upper edges of the sides of the main sluiceway 1 are each provided with an outwardly-projecting flange 9, extending longitudinally along it, and each flange 9 acts as a guide for a series of valves which are adapted to stop the flow of material through the respective series of spouts or chutes 7 when it is desired to clean up the sluice-boxes, for example. Each of the valves is formed, as shown in the detail view Fig. 5, of a plate or sheet of metal bent to an L shape, one member 10 of said plate serving as the valve and the other member 11 of the plate extending up inside the side wall of the sluiceway 1 to the top thereof, over which it is bent, as indicated at 11. The edge of said outwardly-bent portion 11 is bent down and under to form a hook 12, adapted to engage under the flange 9 at the side of the sluiceway, as will"be readily understood. By this construction the valves may be freely placed in position or removed from the side of the sluiceway when not required for use, the construction being such that the hooks 12 may be readily disengaged from or engaged with the flanges 9. When in place, the valves may be slid along so as to cover or partially cover any of the openings.

At the lower or tail end of the sluiceway 1,

is formed an aperture 13, extending transversely across the same and afiording communication with a chute or spout 14, which is inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination of the main sluiceway, and said chute or spout 14 and the several chutes or spouts 7 above referred to are each adapted to discharge into a sluice-box 15 of the construction shown in Fig. 3; As shown in said figure, each sluice-box 15 is closed at its upper end and is provided with a shelf 16,.inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination of the spout or chute which discharges onto it, beneath which shelf 16 and on the bottom of the sluice-box in position to receive the material passing over the shelf is arranged a glass plate 17, adapted to act in the same Way as the plates 4 above referred to, to break the force of the material passing into the sluicebox.

In the bottom of each box 15, beyond the glass plate 17, is arranged an amalgamated copper plate 18, adapted to receive the water and sand flowing over said glass plate, the particles of precious metal being collected and held by said plate 18 in a well-known way. To the end of the box 15 beyond the plate 18 is hinged a discharge-section or tailing-chute 19 to receive the materials flowing over the copper plate, and by reason of its hinged connection said tailing-chute 19 may be arranged to stand at any desired angle with respect to the body of the sluice-box 15.

In each of the tailing-sections 19 I arrange, by preference, riffles of a peculiar construction, which I have illustrated in the detail view Fig. 4. These riffles are, as shown in this figure, each formed of a body portion 20 of heavy woolen fabric, which may be, for convenience, a piece of blanket of a size adapted to fit the bottom of the chute, in which it is arranged, as shown in Fig. 3. To the outer surface of the body portion 20 are sewed or otherwise secured rows 21 of heavy yarn, the ends of the loops forming the rows 21 being loose, so as to float in the water passing through the said chute 19 in position to collect and hold the fine and flaky particles of gold which pass over the plate 17, together with any particles of amalgam which may become detached from said plates.

From the above description it will be seen that the improved amalgamator is of an extremelysimple and inexpensive construction and is especially well adapted for working upon sand or gravel containing extremely fine or flaky gold, since the construction is such that the material passes through the sluices and chutes in a comparatively regular manner, so that the fine particles of gold are permitted to fall by their own weight, so as to pass in close contact with the collecting-plates. Furthermore, the peculiar form of riffles'employed in the tailing-chutes affords a means of collecting and saving the fine particles of precious metal which would otherwise be lost. When it is desired to clean up either one of the sluice-boxes, this may be accomplished without the necessity of shutting down the other boxes, it being only necessary to cut off the proper opening 5 by means of its valve,whereupon the flow of material through that sluice-box will be stopped and the plate 17 may be removed therefrom.

In ordinary placer-mining, where there is fine and flaky gold, the volume of Water, gravel, and sand flowing through the flumes is so great and usually of such velocity that this lighter and more diflicult part of the gold to save flows through the flumes without coming in contact with the riffles that are designed to arrest them or if it does come in contact with the riffles is easily displaced and washed along to the dump,where not less than forty per cent. of all such gold is lost.

By reason of the number of chutes which may be connected with the main sluice the flow of the water, sand, 850., may be spread over so wide a surface that the flow will be but a fractional part of an inch in depth when it passes over the plates, making it impossible for the gold to pass over said plates without coming in contact with them, so that by this means a very large percentage of the fine and flaky particles of gold are held upon the plates.

It will be evident from the above description of my improvements that the invention is susceptible of considerable modification without material departure from its principies and spirit, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form and arrangement of the parts herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an amalgamator,the combination with an inclined sluiceway, of a shelf inclined in the reverse direction to the inclination of said sluiceway and having its discharge end terminating above the bottom of the sluiceway, and the vitreous impact-plate situated at the head of the sluiceway and extending from the bottom thereof upwardly beyond the discharge edge of the shelf to form a passage between said shelf and the impact-plate, whereby the impact-plate prevents the ore-passage to the sluiceway from lodging against the head thereof and to deflect the same upon the inclined bottom of said sluiceway, substantially as described.

2. In an amalgamator, the combination of a sluiceway having the flanged sides and the transverse openings in the bottom thereof, oppositely-inclined spouts arranged beneath the openings in said sluiceway, sluice-boxes communicating with said spouts, and imperforate, flanged, valve-plates slidably interlocked with the respective flanged sides of the sluiceway, and each valve-plate arranged to slide on the sluiceway to partially cover one of the openings therein, to cut off communication between the sluiceway and either of the spouts on one side thereof, as and for the purposes described.

3. In an amalgamator, the sluicewayhaving its bottom provided, at intervals, with transverse screened openings, and having the side walls thereof flanged at their upper edges, combined with sluice-boxes arranged beneath said sluiceway to communicate therewith through said screened openings, and independent valves disposed within the sluiceway to close the openings in the bottom thereof, said valves arranged on opposite sides of the medial line of the sluiceway and constructed to slidably engage with the respective flanged wallsthereof, for the purposes described, substantially as set forth.

4. In an amalgamator,the combinationwith 'a sluiceway having openings in the bottom thereof, of a pair of oppositely-inclined discharge-spouts arranged beneath each of said openings, and the spouts of each pair separated one from the other by a vertical partition situated centrally with respect to the opening in the sluiceway, sluice-boxes to receive the material discharged from said spouts, and valves slidably fitted in the sluiceway and arranged on opposite sides of the medial line thereof to move longitudinally over the bottom of the sluiceway, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

5. In an amalgamator,the combination with an inclined sluiceway, and a spout extending laterally from the bottom of said sluiceway, of a sluice-box having at its head a shelf which extends beneath said laterally-extending spout from the sluiceway, a vitreous plate situated in the bottom of said sluice-box and below the shelf therein, and a collecting-plate carried in the sluice-box below the vitreous plate, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth:

6. The combination with a sluice-box, of an adjustable tailing-chute forming a continuation of the sluice-box, and a riffle attached within said tailing-chute and having projecting unconfined rows of fibrous material arranged to float in water passing over the rifile, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination with a sluiceway, and a sluice-box to receive therefrom, of an ad- 3' ustable tailing-chute connected to, and forming a continuation of, said sluice-box, impact and amalgamated plates carried within said sluice-box one below the other, and a riffie attached within the tailing-chute and having unconfined loose ends, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

NELSON PETER NELSON.

\Vitnesses HARRY ALMGUIST, J AMES A. BANNATYNE. 

